


Footprints at the Crossroads.

by BarPurple



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe, Crossroads Deals & Demons, Dark, Death, Gen, Mild Language, Smoking, probably?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-06
Updated: 2014-05-06
Packaged: 2018-01-23 20:04:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1577780
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BarPurple/pseuds/BarPurple
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>You know when the King of Hell turns up for a crossroads deal there is going to be something unusual on offer.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Footprints at the Crossroads.

It had been a long walk from the bus stop to the crossroads. She’d picked this place in the middle of nowhere simply so she could take a last walk over the moors. Clouds had been gathering all day; massive and so dark they looked purple. They threatened a storm that would fill the morning news with tales of flooding and destruction.

Maybe part of her was hoping that the walk would give her time for second thoughts. She’d had none. Reaching into her bag she pulled out the small biscuit tin and checked the contents. Everything was there, as it had been when she’d done this check at home and at the bus station and on the bus. The ground at the centre of the crossroads was loose and gravelly. She scraped a shallow hole with the heel of her boot and placed the tin inside. There was a heartbeat pause before she dragged the earth back with a sweep of her foot and covered the tin.

Standing up straight she dug a beat up packet of smokes from her pocket and took out one of the last two. She was searching for her lighter when she felt the presence behind her.

“I’ve got a light if you’ve got a spare fag.”

She turned and offered her last cigarette to the man in the Savile Row suit. The excellent tailoring didn’t look out of place even here in the middle of a heath so desolate Bronte could have written it. 

He took the cigarette without any comment that it was menthol and slipped in between his lips with the ease of movement that only comes from long habit. She held her own up and tilted her head in silent question. He stepped in close to her and clicked his fingers. The end of his thumb ignited and she leaned forward to place the tip of the cancerstick into black tinged flame. He lit his own and blew out his burning thumb. 

For a moment they stood less than a foot apart enjoying the first rush of nicotine in silence. The air around them was heavier now with the promise of rain. Between them the same air crackled with the possibility of something far darker than a storm. 

“As much as I’d like to think you simply wanted the immense pleasure of my company I know you want to deal. So shall we talk about what it is you want?”

“I’d like you to make my family forget me.” 

Crowley looked faintly curious. 

“Why?” 

The woman opposite him gave a small one shoulder shrug.

“Does it matter?”

He took slow drag on the cigarette before answering. 

“I like to know the background of my clients. The devil’s in the details as they say.” 

An easy smile sprang to his mouth at his own little joke. She gave him a small nod of acknowledgement.

“There’s nothing in my future but dark, crazy pain. I want to save them from that. Save them from the shame of being associated with what I will become.”

“I could take the crazy away.” 

The offer sounded sincere, but the gleam in Crowley’s dark eyes didn’t match it. She blew out a stream of mint tinged smoke with a humourless laugh.

“We both know that’s not an option, but I appreciate the sting of false hope you offered there.”

“So, I erase you from the lives of your nearest and dearest and you live out ten years of crazy without being a burden to them?”

“No.” 

She dropped the end of her smoke and studied her foot intently as she ground out the ember.

“Ten years is the offer, no more.”

“I don’t want more I want less.”

“Less? Well that’s different. How much less?”

“You make it as if I was never a part of their lives and let them live normal, happy apple pie and I’ll walk in to Hell with you right now.”

Crowley took the last drag from his cigarette and flicked the butt into the heather. This was not what he had expected when he’d answered the summoning tonight. It almost felt too good to be true and that always ended badly.

“We both know what your future holds. You have the weight of a curse and prophecy hanging over you like a sword of Damocles. The path you’re on, your soul will be flitting its way into the Pit in what two years? Three tops? I’m a patient man; I can walk away from here and wait for the inevitable.” 

Crowley’s tone suggested he had the upper hand here. He felt that wasn’t the case and that annoyed him, but made him very curious at the same time. His client looked at the gathering clouds in contemplation for a moment. Crowley found himself admiring the line of her throat; the way her chocolate hair fell back over her shoulders; the quiet confidence she had even now, in what could be her final moments. He mentally shook his head. This was business pure and simple no time to be indulging in flights of fancy. 

She dropped her gaze from the spectacle nature was proving and Crowley found himself in the intense focus of eyes so blue they appeared bottomless. In a calm and level tone she spoke,

“You could, but I’d feel scorned and you know what they say about a woman scorned. You leave me Topside and I’ll have two years to sink into my crazy; all the time cursing your name. When I do end up in the Pit I’ll be in a very bad mood and it will all be focused on you. I accept it’s not much of a threat for the King of Hell, but why make difficulties for yourself?”

Crowley bristled. Here and now she was trying to threaten him, unbelievable. He spat

“I’ll break you like I break all the bitches that arrive with attitude.”

His venom didn’t have the effect he expected. Most humans at least took a step back, or looked cowed. She just slid her tongue over her bottom lip in an unconscious gesture of consideration and calmly said,

“Of course you would and I become another grovelling demon who feared and resented you. I’m disappointed if that’s what your ego needs. I had you pegged as better than that. I thought you’d see the possibilities of having, shall we say, a willing companion. Somebody who chose to be on your team from the start, rather than someone you had to break.”

She swung her bag on her shoulder and started to turn away. Crowley caught her arm. She didn’t resist as he twisted her back to face him. His grip on her arm was punishing, but no sign of pain showed on her face. Crowley found he was almost breathless. He inhaled deeply and said in a careful level voice,

“You’d walk into Hell, by my side and use all of that deliciously twisted crazy for my plans?”

“Willingly, if. . .” 

Her tone was so pure and honest it felt like brands on his skin. He had to drag in another deep lungful of the storm heavy air before he could continue.

“I erase you from the lives of your family and let them live happy and normal.”

“Yes.” 

Again the lack of deception was like a naked flame across his skin. Most humans held on to the ridiculously slim hope that they could make a deal and wiggle out of it. There was only clear pure honesty in her tone. It was intoxicating to the point Crowley felt a reaction in the skin of his meat suit. He was done playing there was only one word he could say,

“Deal.”

Crowley pulled her arm and closed the remaining inches between them. His free hand snaked to the back of her neck. Her hand caught his face as she tilted her head in towards his lips. She held his gaze before she said in a low, steady voice;

“This is my last kiss as a human. Make it a good one.” 

“For you, always.”

Their lips met as the storm broke and a vicious bolt of lightning grounded itself through them. The fire it started took three days to burn out. No one tried to stop it. The moorland was too remote for anyone to worry about. When the Google Earth satellite photo’d the area a week later the images caused a minor stir among the few who saw them. A five point star was seared into the earth around the crossroads and at the centre where the roads intersected, melted into the gravel, were two sets of footprints.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm worried about this one. Please let me know what you think, even if you hate it.


End file.
